Georgia coach Kirby Smart describes Auburn football with one word

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The No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs are looking to avoid a letdown after beating the Alabama Crimson Tide on the road. Georgia hosts the Auburn Tigers at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 17 (televised on ESPN).

Georgia is favored by nearly three touchdowns against Auburn, but based on how coach Kirby Smart is talking about the Tigers, you'd think that Georgia is narrow favorite. It is clear Smart has a lot of respect for Auburn, who is in the first year of the coach Alex Golesh era. Smart kept describing Auburn as a physical team and thinks the Tigers, who are coming off an open date, will be fresh.

Georgia has won nine straight meetings over Auburn dating back to 2017. Coach Smart is 10-1 in his career against Auburn including a perfect 5-0 at home. The Tigers have not won in Athens in over two decades.

Smart on Auburn, Georgia history

"For us, it's on to Auburn," Smart said. "As y'all know, it's the (Deep) South's Oldest Rivalry. It's an awesome rivalry. It's one that was special to me growing up close to Auburn. I actually lived closer to there than any other SEC school. I've known a lot of coaches there, and it seems like from the two places I've worked most of my life, that's been a permanent rival. It's certainly been a very traditional rivalry both places I've worked, and I have so much respect for them."

Smart focuses on Auburn's physicality

"Coach (Alex) Golesh is doing a great job coming in and taking over the program, installing his belief, his offense, his things," Smart said during his weekly press conference. "They have a lot of talent. They've got good football players, and it's any given Saturday in this conference, as we see every week.

"It will be an extremely physical game. They're coming off an off week, and we're coming off a really tough physical game. It will be really important that the mindset and the approach to the game is right because they want to make it physical the way they play. They're a really tough, physical football team on both sides of the ball."

On Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin

Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin stayed with the Tigers despite their coaching change this offseason. Generally speaking, Auburn's defense has not been the issue.

"Coach (DJ) Durkin, their defensive coordinator, has been one of the best in the conference over all the years he's been in the conference," Smart notes. "He's a great defensive football coach. We've got a lot of links, a lot of respect for him. Our guys have to get ready to go play."

On Auburn coach Alex Golesh's offense

"Physical," Smart said. "People want to make it about passing, and they do have a lot of good passes, and they have tempo. They get a lot of plays, but they're physical. They're physical at the point of attack.

"When you watch the games I watched yesterday on them, you immediately see those same pillars of his program, being able to throw the ball vertical down the field and being physical at the point of attack. They've got a guy that can do that at quarterback."

On Auburn's defense

"Speed, athleticism," coach Smart said on Auburn's defense, which is allowing 21.4 points per game (ninth in the SEC). "They can fly the ball. They play really hard. They attack the ball. They blitz and come after you. They're aggressive. You can see his (defensive coordinator DJ Durkin) personality coming out in the players in the way they play."

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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Georgia coach Kirby Smart describes Auburn football with one word

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